Newspapers in Gabon
According to ZIPCODESEXPLORER.COM, Gabon is a country located in Africa. The spread of newspapers in Gabon is quite modest (29 newspaper excl. Per 1,000 inv., 1996). There are two daily newspapers with a total circulation of about 30,000 items: L’Union is published by the government, while Gabon-Matin is published by the national news agency Agence Gabonaise de Presse (AGP). Several new, irregularly published newspapers were started in the 1990s after the transition to multi-party systems.
The state broadcasting company Radiodiffusion-Télévision Gabonaise (RTG), founded in 1959, broadcasts national radio programs in French in two channels and has regional radio broadcasts. Africa No. 1 (founded in 1980) is a privately owned, advertising-funded radio channel. Several smaller, independent radio stations were started during the 1990s. RTG has a TV channel with daily broadcasts. There are 501 radio and 326 TV receivers per 1,000 residents (2001).
Culture
According to ALLUNITCONVERTERS, the literature in Gabon is heavily influenced by French because many writers received their education in France, while many of today’s Gabonese artists build on domestic traditions.
In the old traditions there is not least an ancestral cult that you can see in relics, sculptures and masks, usually made of wood and decorated with metal or leather embellishments.
The contemporary popular music exhibits a mixture of native traditions and styles imported from the West. A typical music form is a question-and-answer type song. Drums and stringed instruments include, among other things, mvet, a kind of harp citrera. One famous Gabonese popular singer was Olivier N’goma who died in 2010.
In the capital Libreville there is a museum of arts and traditions, as well as a French cultural center.
June
The Senate votes to allow homosexuality
June 30th
The Senate (parliament’s upper house) votes by a large majority to decriminalize homosexuality. Thus, both chambers voted for decriminalization. If the president signs the law, Gabon will become one of the relatively few countries in Africa where homosexuality is not criminal. Several politicians, both Christians and Muslims, react outraged and believe that the law is a remission to foreign donors and that it contravenes local norms. Homosexuality was made illegal in Gabon in July 2019. Same-sex sex between men could lead to six months in prison.
The lower house wants to decriminalize homosexuality
June 23rd
The National Assembly votes for a bill to decriminalize homosexual acts. Gay acts are punishable in Gabon with up to six months imprisonment and fines. In the vote, 48 members said yes to decriminalization, 24 members voted no while 25 abstained. For the proposal to become law, it must also be approved by the Senate.
April
Small relief in the shutdown
April 27
The government eases a little on the closure of the capital Libreville and three adjacent areas. Some stores and hairdressers are allowed to reopen, but trips to and from Libreville and the three areas are still not allowed. Schools, restaurants and places of worship continue to be closed. It is mandatory to wear a face mask and nightly curfew prevails. The country’s borders are kept closed. The government explains the relief of fearing social unrest if many people find it difficult to support themselves and their families.
Libreville is quarantined
April 13
The capital Libreville and three neighboring municipalities are quarantined. Security forces must ensure that residents comply with the restrictions imposed on them. Shops and markets are closed. Residents are encouraged to stay home.
IMF support for coronary pandemic
April 10
Gabon is granted $ 147 million in funding from the IMF to cover the budget deficits that arise during the fight against the health, economic and social effects of the corona pandemic.
Forbidden eating bats and cones
April 3
The government makes it illegal to sell and eat bats and cones, two animal species that are suspected to be the source of the new corona virus that caused a pandemic. In the past, international flights have been canceled, schools are closed and a nightly curfew prevails – all in an attempt to reduce the spread of the corona virus. Support money is promised to the individuals and companies most affected by the restrictions.
March
Measures against coronary pandemic
March 16
The government is taking a series of measures against the spread of the new corona virus, which has caused a pandemic. A day earlier, Gabon has had its first confirmed case of covid-19, the disease that corona infections can get. Authorities close schools, bars and nightclubs, among others. The country’s reserve for gorillas is closed to visitors.
January
Two lynching after rumor spread
January 26
Two people have been lynched by upset crowds in Libreville as a result of rumors spread on social media that a host of children have been kidnapped. The rumors came to light after a three-year-old boy disappeared from a village in northern Gabon on January 12. Crowds have subsequently gathered to look for missing children and have progressed hard in their search, with vandalism and ill-treatment. President Bongo criticizes the behavior in harsh terms and says that all guilty should be punished. According to the authorities, only one child has disappeared and one person is arrested for it. In total, some 20 people have been arrested in connection with the events.
